Notice to Badal in Ravi Inder caseCHANDIGARH, Jan 31  The Punjab and Haryana
High Court today issued notice for February 27 to the
Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who heads
the Shiromani Akali Dal, on a revision petition preferred
by Mr Ravi Inder Singh, an Akali MLA from Morinda,
assailing the order of the District Judge of Chandigarh
declining to stay the move to expel him from the party.

BJP rebels submit repliesAMRITSAR,
Jan 31  Even as damage control exercise has been
launched to resolve the present crisis in the state BJP,
the two rebel party MLAs, Mr Jagdish Sahni and Mr Satpal
Gosain, have submitted their reply to the state party
chief, Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, in response to the show-cause
notice served on them for levelling serious charges of
corruption against Mr Sodhi and Mr Balramji Dass Tandon,
Minister Local Bodies.

SGPC chief ready to appear at Akal
TakhtCHANDIGARH, Jan 31  The SGPC President,
Bibi Jagir Kaur, is ready to present herself at Akal
Takht. In a brief statement issued on her behalf by a
Deputy Secretary of the SGPC, Mr Kirpal Singh, here
today, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that she would go to Akal
Takht when she was called there.

Steps to rationalise postings of
officersCHANDIGARH,
Jan 31  The Punjab Council of Ministers today
resolved to rationalise the all-India service cadre
management in the state by effecting the following
measures: repatriation of officers from other state
cadres presently on deputation in Punjab on expiry of
their present term of deputation; no fresh induction of
any officer on deputation from outside the state into
Punjab; and offering the services of all suitable
officers of the Punjab cadre for deputation postings in
the Government of India and, in case of their selection,
to immediately relieve them, without making any
exception, for joining the Government of India.

BKU activist killed in lathi
chargeJETHUKE (Bathinda), Jan 31  One activist
of the BKU (Ekta) was killed and seven were injured in a
clash between the police and activists near Jethuke
village today evening.

Mann to oppose Centre on reviewPHAGWARA,
Jan 31  Member of Parliament and President
Shiromani Akali Dal (A) Simranjit Singh Mann yesterday
said his party would oppose any move by the BJP
government to tamper with the Constitution under the
cover of reviewing it.

Several SC men join CongressJALANDHAR, Jan 31  A number of former
Scheduled Caste officers have joined the Congress and
have announced their wholehearted support to it during
the Nawanshahr byelection.

Madan Mohan MittalCHANDIGARH, Jan 31  The Parliamentary
Affairs portfolio has been allocated to Mr Madan Mohan
Mittal by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh
Badal. A notification in this connection is expected to
be issued soon.

COMMUNITY

Bhisham Sahni interacts with
theatre studentsPATIALA,
Jan 31  While sharing his experiences in the fields
of literature, theatre, films and television, renowned
personality Bhisam Sahni today recalled the glorious days
of freedom struggle when the whole nation rose to fight
the British empire.

Rajindra Hospital turns to alumni
for helpPATIALA, Jan 31  Bereft of funds, the
Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital here has
turned to its alumni to give both institutions a facelift
as well as provide a multicrore State of the Art
Emergency Care Department.

National convention of women
beginsLUDHIANA, Jan 31  The three-day national
convention of women being organised by the Punjab Istri
Sabha and the district unit of the National Federation of
Indian Women (NFIW) began here today.

Villagers intensify stirFEROZEPORE, Jan 31  Intensifying their
stir, thousands of villagers, including women, blocked
traffic for three hours outside the Deputy
Commissioners office on the Jhoke Road in the
cantonment area here today in protest against a proposal
to auction the Irrigation Department land in about 20
villages along the Indo-Pak border near here.

A sea change to dispensaryHOSHIARPUR: Honest, sincere and joint efforts by
politicians, government employees and public can do
miracles and make an impossible task possible. This has
proved true in Naru Nangal village, where a neglected
dispensary has become a model for others with the joint
efforts of the doctor in charge, village residents and
the local MLA.

CRIME

Farm labourer murderedJALANDHAR, Jan 31 In a ghastly act, Raju,
a migrant farm labourer of Bihar, was done to death with
sharp-edged weapons by some assailants who attacked a
farmhouse near Jandu Singha village on the
Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road early this morning.

Kin held on rape chargeBARNALA,
Jan 31  Meeras (not real name) two near
relatives, including one maternal uncle, have been
arrested for raping her for seven months.

EDUCATION

Plan to introduce computer courseCHANDIGARH, Jan 31  Final touches are
being given by authorities concerned to introduce
computer education as optional subject from the next
academic session in government middle and high schools in
Punjab.

BUSINESS

Papers of unaccounted sales seizedCHANDIGARH, Jan 31  In two different raids
conducted by the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department,
documents relating to suppressed sales amounting to Rs
3.8 crore and Rs 1 crore, respectively, have been seized.

CHANDIGARH,
Jan 31  The Punjab and Haryana High Court today
issued notice for February 27 to the Punjab Chief
Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who heads the Shiromani
Akali Dal, on a revision petition preferred by Mr Ravi
Inder Singh, an Akali MLA from Morinda, assailing the
order of the District Judge of Chandigarh declining to
stay the move to expel him from the party.

Mr Justice
V.M. Jain, who handed down this order, directed that the
notice on the respondent would be served through counsel
of the opposite side who had appeared for him in the
lower court.

In his
revision petition Mr Ravi Inder Singh stated that the
District Judge was patently wrong in declining his
request for the stay because the tenure of Akal Dal
office-bearers expired.

Mr G.S.
Grewal, former Advocate-General of Punjab, who
represented Mr Ravi Inder Singh, contended that the
party's tenure had been extended by the Election
Commission of India till February-end. However, neither
the country's Constitution nor did the party constitution
give any right to the Election Commission to extend the
term of any political party. Political parties were
governed by their constitutions.

Mr Grewal
told the court that according to the party constitution,
fresh elections must be held before the expiry of the
two-year term. In support of his viewpoint, Mr Grewal
argued that even if it was presumed that the Election
Commission had the power to extend the tenure of any
political, it ought to be done before it expired. This
was the Supreme Court ruling. The term of the Akali Dal
had already expired. The Election Commission had merely
entitled to the SAD to hold its fresh elections by
February-end so that they could remain a registered
political party under Section 29-A of the Representation
of the People Act.

To begin
with, Mr Ravi Inder Singh had filed a suit in the court
of the Sub Judge for staying his expulsion from the SAD.
He had also filed a declaration to the effect that the
tenure of the SAD general house had expired. Until fresh
elections were held, Mr Badal could not expel any member
from the party. The Sub Judge had, however, declined his
request.

Mr Ravi
Inder Singh had questioned the Sub Judge's, order in the
court of the District Judge. He, too, had declined his
appeal holding that the Election Commission had extended
the term of the SAD till February-end.

Mining
Officer's case put off

The High Court adjourned
to February 15 the case concerning the disappearance of
Mr S.P. Singh, Mining Officer of the Punjab Industries
Department.

Mr Justice T.H.B.
Chalapathi, before whom the case came up for hearing,
issued oral directions to the police to make efforts to
trace Mr Singh.

Earlier, the S.S.P. of
Patiala and Mr Ranjit Singh Dhillon, DSP (Vigilance),
Patiala, filed affidavit before the court spelling out
the efforts they made to trace Mr Singh.
Punjab's Deputy Advocate-General made a statement before
the court that no case was registered against Mr S.P.
Singh till today.

According to the
petition preferred by a relative of Mr S.P. Singh, the
Mining Officer was allegedly summoned by the DSP
(Vigilance) to Patiala on January 24. Since then he has
not returned.

The petition alleged
that the Mining Officer was receiving threats from Mr
Surinder Singh Kairon, a relative of the Chief Minister,
and the DSP (Vigilance), Mr Kairon allegedly wanted Mr
S.P. Singh to cancel mining contracts of certain persons
in favour of his men.

Before leaving for
Patiala, the Mining Officer had shot off letters to the
Punjab Chief Secretary and Chief Justice of the Punjab
and Haryana High Court. Copies of these letters were
seized from the Mining Officer's car parked at his
residence.

Embezzlement
case hearing on April 3
Our legal correspondent adds:

On a criminal petition
filed by Mr Ajit Inder Singh, Congress MLA from
Sardulgarh, seeking a probe either by the CBI or an
independent agency into the cases of corruption and
criminal conspiracy in the widening of Kot Bhai
Distributory, Mr Justice T.H.B. Chalapathi issued notice
to Public Prosecutor, Punjab, for April 3.

In the petition apart
from the state, Mr Parkash Singh Badal Chief Minister,
and Mr Sikandar Singh Maluka, Minister of State for
Irrigation, had been made respondents.

The petitioner stated
that four FIRs had been registered at Gidderbaha,
Bathinda, Sangat and Lambi police stations in Bathinda
district against Executive Engineers, Junior Engineers
and other staff after November 23, 1999.

Mr Tirath Singh Brar,
A.E. of Mithri Teona Sub-Division, had filed a complaint
to Bathinda's Deputy Commissioner and the Additional
Deputy Commissioner, Mr Alok Shekhar, had conducted an
inquiry and submitted a report to the Deputy
Commissioner.

It was alleged by the
petitioner that on Doomwali minor the people cleared the
silt but entries of payment were shown involving an
embezzlement of Rs 4.41 lakh. Bogus entries were made in
work-charged rolls.

It was further submitted
by the petitioner that since the matter is scandalous and
involved Rs 2.5 crores, efforts are being made to hush up
the matter by changing the inquiry report.

The petitioner informed
the court that the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP had
been transferred and the inquiry had been handed over to
the DIG, Ferozepore.

AMRITSAR, Jan 31 
Even as damage control exercise has been launched to
resolve the present crisis in the state BJP, the two
rebel party MLAs, Mr Jagdish Sahni and Mr Satpal Gosain,
have submitted their reply to the state party chief, Mr
Daya Singh Sodhi, in response to the show-cause notice
served on them for levelling serious charges of
corruption against Mr Sodhi and Mr Balramji Dass Tandon,
Minister Local Bodies.

When contacted by TNS,
Mr Sodhi confirmed that he had received the replies from
both the MLAs. He, however, refused to divulge the
contents of the replies. The replies submitted by them
are reportedly of identical nature.

However, when contacted
by TNS, Mr Jagdish Sahni said he would stand by the
charges levelled by him. I have got all the proofs
to substantiate the allegations which would be proved at
an appropriate time. He, however, said that he did
not want to violate the discipline of the party by giving
details of the contents of his reply. I have
already expressed regrets for rushing to the press to
level the charges. I had admitted my fault at the party
meeting held at Jalandhar on January 6. I have admitted
my fault before the press too. However, I would prove my
allegations if the party high command desires so.

Replying yet another
question, Mr Sodhi said he would discuss the reply of
both the MLAs at the meeting of office-bearers before
initiating any action.

It is pertinent to
mention here that while Mr Sahni had alleged that Mr
Sodhi had not accounted for the balance of Rs 3 lakh out
of Rs 7 lakh he had handed over to him during the recent
Lok Sabha elections last year, no specific allegation had
been voiced by the MLAs against Mr Tandon.

Earlier he had alleged
the BJP leaders had taken bribe for appointing executive
officers in the Local Government Department.

It may also be mentioned
here that Mr Sahni, MLA from Batala had met Mr Sodhi at
his residence about a fortnight ago to explain his
position.

According to sources,
the action is likely to be taken against the rebel party
MLAs as the contents of their replies did not show clear
cut regrets for levelling allegations against the senior
party leadership.

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31
 The SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, is ready to
present herself at Akal Takht. In a brief statement
issued on her behalf by a Deputy Secretary of the SGPC,
Mr Kirpal Singh, here today, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that
she would go to Akal Takht when she was called there.

Till date, I have
not received any directive from Akal Takht in writing and
I make it clear that my entire life is dedicated to Akal
Takht, Bibi Jagir Kaur said. In fact, it was the
duty of every gursikh to abide by the
principles, code of conduct and traditions of Akal Takht,
she added.

Bibi Jagir Kaur was
excommunicated by the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Puran
Singh, on January 25. Giani Puran Singh had stated that
Bibi Jagir Kaur was violating the directives
issued by Akal Takht. There were differences between
Giani Puran Singh and Bibi Jagir Kaur on the
implementation of the Nanakshahi calendar, which
ultimately culminated in the excommunication of the SGPC
president, perhaps for the first time in its 75-year-old
history.

However, informed
sources said that a directive was never sent
to the excommunicated persons to appear at Akal Takht.
Such persons had to make an appeal in writing to the
Jathedar of Akal Takht to seek permission for explaining
their position regarding the issue involved.

After examining the
contents of the appeal submitted by the excommunicated
person, the Jathedar convened a meeting of five
singh sahibs (including himself) and directed
the person concerned to appear before them to explain the
position. After hearing the explanation, it was the
discretion of the singh sahibs to accept the
appeal and forgive or to announce the punishment for the
person concerned.

The latest statement of
Bibi Jagir Kaur, expressing willingness to appear before
Akal Takht, differs from her earlier statements made in
this connection. Earlier, she had taken a tough stand and
had branded the excommunication a violation
of the tradition of Akal Takht. But she has now softened
her stand.

Informed sources said
that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal,
who is also president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, had
told Bibi Jagir Kaur not to make hostile
statements and to adopt reconciliatory approach.
Todays statement by the SGPC chief should be seen
in this background.

The sources said that Mr
Badal was in touch with Giani Puran Singh, who was near
Meerut in Uttar Pradesh this morning. He is expected to
reach Amritsar tonight or tomorrow. Mr Badal is expected
to reach Amritsar tomorrow to discuss the issue with
Giani Puran Singh, it is learnt. A number of other Akali
leaders have also talked to Giani Puran Singh in
connection with the issue.

LUDHIANA, Jan 31 
Quarters close to the SGPC chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur, have
expressed disappointment over the non-committal stance
adopted by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal,
over the current confrontation between Bibi Jagir Kaur
and the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Puran Singh, over
the Nanakshahi calendar.

Bibi Jagir Kaur herself
has been maintaining a studied silence over the issue but
the quarters say that they expected the Chief Minister to
come to the aid of the beleaguered SGPC chief, in a more
forthright manner.

Bibi Jagir Kaur was
excommunicated from the Sikh Panth by Giani
Puran Singh last week for alleged defiance of Akal Takht.
Instead of coming out strongly in support Bibi Jagir
Kaur, the Chief Minister seems to have adopted a course
of soft-pedalling on the issue.

These quarters point out
that five high priests had met at Amritsar a day after
the hukamnama was issued by Giani Puran Singh
and had come to the conclusion that the hukamnama was not
in accordance with the Sikh traditions. It had also not
been issued from Akal Takht. Therefore, it was not valid.

But the SAD leadership
appears to have not lent any support to this view and has
backed off from a confrontation with the Jathedar.

In this connection,
these quarters emphasise that when the Chief Minister
became the target of the wrath of Bhai Ranjit Singh, then
Jathedar of Akal Takht, he was unceremoniously removed
from his post. The then SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh
Tohra, too had to lose his post.

In the present course,
the Akali leadership appears to be following different
standards which has bewildered the Sikh masses, claim
these quarters.

Political observers here
have not failed to notice that Bibi Jagir Kaur herself
adopted an aggressive stance on the issue of hukamnama
issued against here by Giani Puran Singh. In a press
interview, she was quoted as having challenged the
hukamnama. But subsequently she changed her statement and
favoured resolution of the present religio-political
crisis in an amicable manner.

AMRITSAR, Jan 31 
The former Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh
today indicated to launch a campaign to
liberate Akal Takht from the
clutches of the lobby of Punjab Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The present
management of the SGPC and those who controlled Akal
Takht, including Jathedar Giani Puran Singh and Bibi
Jagir Kaur, are puppets of Mr Badal and are instrumental
to introduce sarkari maryada at the
Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, who still
considered himself as the real Jathedar, added and stated
that he had already started to
awaken the Akali MLAs and SGPC
members for launching this campaign.

Bhai Ranjit Singh was
sure that he would be able to uproot Mr Badal from the
Sikh scene in Punjab. He advised Mr Badal to
pack his bag and baggage and retire to his home as he
will not be allowed to ruin Panthic
traditions.

Stressing on this point
further he said that Mr Badal should be made to quit his
post, and said that he had already made up his mind to
gherao Mr Badals house at Chandigarh
for restoration of panthic maryada at Akal Takht.

Bhai Ranjit Singh,
referring to the ongoing crisis arising out of Nanakshahi
calendar issue and subsequent excommunication of the SGPC
President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, said that nothing was going
to happen on February 2 when Bibi Jagir Kaur and
executive members had to appear before Akal Takht for
explanation as it will be announced in next two to three
days that sab theek thak hai (it
is all okay).

Bhai Ranjit Singh was
highly critical of the hukamnama
issued by Giani Puran Singh while on his way to Hazoor
Sahib and said that this
hukamnama would be known as a
black spot in the Sikh history as
it is against the Sikh
traditions.

Asked about his views on
the four Sikh head priests taking stand against Giani
Puran Singh describing this
hukamnama as against Sikh
traditions, Bhai Ranjit Singh said that he was not sure
whether except the head granthi of Golden Temple, Giani
Mohan Singh, any other head priest would take a firm
stand on their statement as they are
weak persons.

Bhai Mohan Singh is the
only head priest who would stand firm on his views but
I am sure that future happenings at the Takht
will be in accordance with the sarkari
maryada.

Wondering as to why
Giani Puran Singh had not returned so far, the former
Jathedar said that he might not be allowed to reach
Amritsar unless he was thoroughly briefed by emissaries
of Mr Badal on his future course of action.
Giani Puran Singh cannot sit on Takht without
due permission of Mr Badal, he remarked.

Sikh circles considered
the move of the former Jathedar as an apparent effort to
return to power at Takht. He said that credibility of
Akal Takht had fully eroded and everything was lost at
present.

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31
 The Punjab unit of the Youth Congress (YC) has
alleged that the state government is interfering in the
affairs of the historic Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Gurdwara,
managed by the Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Foundation in
Pahuwind village in Patti subdivision of Amritsar
district.

Capt Bikramajit Singh
Pahuwindia (retd), Vice-President of the Punjab Youth
Congress, in a statement issued here today said that the
foundation was a registered a political body and managed
the gurdwara. The foundation also organised medical camps
and other social activities.

He alleged that on the
direction of a senior Akali politician of the area,
senior state officials imposed a ban on January 25 when
the annual festival was in progress at the gurdwara. An
attempt was also made to capture the gurdwara by a
"baba" with the support of official machinery,
he further alleged.

When foundation leaders
approached the police to restrain the 'baba', the
officials concerned allegedly put pressure on the
foundation members to reach an understanding with the
'baba' and "sealed the gurdwara golak". The
leaders were also urged to dissolve the foundation at a
police station, where senior police and civil officials
were present, Capt Bikramajit Singh alleged.

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31
 The Punjab Council of Ministers today resolved to
rationalise the all-India service cadre management in the
state by effecting the following measures: repatriation
of officers from other state cadres presently on
deputation in Punjab on expiry of their present term of
deputation; no fresh induction of any officer on
deputation from outside the state into Punjab; and
offering the services of all suitable officers of the
Punjab cadre for deputation postings in the Government of
India and, in case of their selection, to immediately
relieve them, without making any exception, for joining
the Government of India.

The council took note of
the fact that the extension of the age of retirement from
58 years to 60 years deferred the routine process of
superannuating practically for two years, which rendered
the top levels extraordinarily heavy. This would be
automatically rectified with large-scale retirements due
in the near future.

It was further decided
that the scale of annual requisition for the all-India
service officers by the state would be substantially
reduced in the future, as per a press statement.

The annual
administration reports of the Local Audit and Dairy
Development Departments for the year 1997-98 were also
approved.

It was also decided to
bring in an ordinance to amend Section 6 of the Punjab
School Education Board Act, 1996, prescribing
qualifications and experience for the appointment of the
Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board.

At present it is
provided that a person having an experience of teaching
for not less than 20 years in any school, college and
university is eligible for appointment to the posts and
that he should have served for a period of five years as
Principal of a college or Registrar or Head of a
department in a university out of his total experience.

It will now be provided
that he should, instead, have served as Principal of a
college or university or Head of a department of a
university for a period of not less than one year, other
things remaining the same. It has been decided to submit
the proposed ordinance for substituting five years
clause in Section 6 -(b) by the proposed one year clause
by way of an amendment.

The council further
reiterated that no further reference shall be made to the
competent authorities for making fresh recruitments
without totally absorbing the surplus staff pooled at the
disposal of Re-deployment Cell working in the Department
of Personnel under the Chief Secretary.

However, in such cases
where selections have been duly made by the P.P.S.C.,
Punjab Subordinate Service Board and other competent
authorities after meticulously adhering to the prescribed
procedure, appointment letters shall be issued forthwith.
Where the recruitment process is in its final stage, it
will be allowed to reach its logical conclusion without
any impediment.

A review of the system
of merit-cum-seniority and seniority-cum-merit for the
promotion to the scheduled posts in all government
departments by the appointment of a Cabinet sub-committee
under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister was also
approved.

The council was informed
by the Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, that his
department had constituted village education development
committees to bring in participative management of school
infrastructure. In the first phase, 1,300
un-safe schools have been rendered
safe by spending on an average Rs 1.67 lakh
each on 600 schools and Rs 97000 each on another 700
schools.

In the second phase, Rs
1 lakh each has been given for the upkeep of 635 schools.

The Chief Minister, Mr
Parkash Singh Badal, said the Chief Architect had
prepared standardised drawings for primary schools, which
would cost approximately Rs 10 lakh per school and
provide a congenial atmosphere to students. Adequate
funds had been provided which would be released through
the district planning boards according the local needs.

The council was informed
by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, that all
ministerial discretionary grants were ordered to be
released on January 28, and necessary instructions to
that effect had been issued to the field officers.

The Chief Minister took
cognisance of an issue raised by the Cooperation
Minister, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahampura, that a certain
number of district managers had allegedly been recruited
in violation of the government policy in Markfed, about
which the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, was directed to
hold an inquiry and take suitable action.

Another inquiry was
ordered by the Industry Secretary, Mr R.I. Singh on an
issue raised by Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Food and Supplies
Minister, regarding alleged irregularities in the
transport and contract systems adopted by the officers of
the Punjab Alkalis and Chemicals Ltd (PACL), Nangal.

JETHUKE (Bathinda), Jan
31  One activist of the BKU (Ekta) was killed and
seven were injured in a clash between the police and
activists near Jethuke village today evening.

Sources said the BKU
activists staged a dharna on the Bathinda-Ambala rail
section in protest against the overcharging of fare by
mini-bus operators in the Rampura area.

The sources said the
situation became tense as the BKU activists were trying
to take law into their own hand. In order to disperse the
agitators the police resorted to lathi charge which
resulted in the death of an activist. As many as 20
policemen were also injured. The injured have been
admitted to the Civil Hospital, Rampura Phul.

Earlier the sources said
the activists staged a dharna on the rail line this
evening after their talks with the district
administration to sort out the matter of overcharging of
fare.

The district
administration today tried to bring about a compromise
between the BKU activists and mini-bus operators at a
meeting held here.

Mr Harbans Lal, Station
Master, said due to jamming of rail traffic, one train
was stranded at Rampura station while the other train was
stopped at Jethuke village. The passengers were facing a
lot of inconvenience.

The sources said BKU
(Ekta) activists were coming from surrounding areas in
large numbers on the tractor-trailer to join their
associates in the dharna.

The senior civil and
police officials have also rushed to spot and some of the
BKU activists have also been rounded up, according to
unofficial sources.

The BKU activists also
jammed rail traffic for more than three hours at the same
site yesterday and it was lifted only when they were
assured by a senior police official that their genuine
grievances against the mini-bus operators would be
solved. However, Mr Jatinder Jain, SSP, said the
situation was under control.

Sources said BKU
activists who came here to attend the meeting convened by
the district administration walked out of it without
citing any reason and asked their associates at Jethuke
village to stage dharna.

In protest against the
overcharging of fare the BKU activists have boycotted the
mini-buses plying on the link roads. They have been
transporting people on their tractor-trailers.

The police sources said
fire tenders and ambulances were summoned and heavy
police force was also dispatched from here to the site of
the dharna.

PHAGWARA, Jan 31 
Member of Parliament and President Shiromani Akali Dal
(A) Simranjit Singh Mann yesterday said his party would
oppose any move by the BJP government to tamper with the
Constitution under the cover of reviewing it.

The BJP government
wanted to saffronise the statue by striking at its
secular soul and fundamental philosophy in order to give
backdoor entry to Hindutava, he alleged. The proposed
review would go against national minorities, particularly
Sikhs and Muslims, continued Mr Mann.

The Akali stalwart
declared that he endorsed Presidents stand that the
basic fabric of the Constitution was sacrosanct and
should not be played with. He opposed the Prime
Ministers untenable arguments for the review. He
also flayed SAD President and Punjab Chief Minister
Parkash Singh Badal for ditching the Anandpur Sahib
resolution by supporting Mr Vajpayees stand for
review. Advocating complete autonomy for states, Mr Mann
demanded that expect defence, external affairs, currency,
all other departments should be given to states.

Maintaining that Mr
Badal had no say at the Centre now, he alleged that Mr
Badal was deserting all demands of the state one by one.

Meanwhile, Mr Mann had
been included in two Parliamentary Committees about
External Affairs and Communications.

JALANDHAR, Jan 31 
A number of former Scheduled Caste officers have joined
the Congress and have announced their wholehearted
support to it during the Nawanshahr byelection.

Those who have joined
the party included Mr N.S. Sahota, a Bahujan Samaj Party
leader and a former director of the ASIAD 1982, Mr Ram
Chand, a retired Chief Engineer, and Mr Uttam Singh, a
retired Joint Director, Planning, and Mr Dharam Chand, a
retired Tehsildar.

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31
 The Parliamentary Affairs portfolio has been
allocated to Mr Madan Mohan Mittal by the Punjab Chief
Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. A notification in this
connection is expected to be issued soon.

Mr Badal said the
portfolio was not allocated to any minister when the
Cabinet was expended on December 31. Its charge was with
Mr Badal.

The portfolio pertaining
to the Languages Department will be retained by by the
Chief Minister himself. Earlier, it used to be linked
with the portfolio of the Higher Education.

PATIALA, Jan 31 
While sharing his experiences in the fields of
literature, theatre, films and television, renowned
personality Bhisham Sahni today recalled the glorious
days of freedom struggle when the whole nation rose to
fight the British empire.

While delivering a
lecture organised by the Theatre and Television
Department of Punjabi University, here he reminisced
about the old days when the country had an ideal, a
programme, leadership, emotional appeal and a dream.

Highlighting the efforts
of the Indian Peoples Theatre Association (IPTA) to
propagate the progressive values and ideals in theatre,
literature and social live, he said IPTA played a
significant role in giving a healthy direction in order
to rid society of evil elements.

He cirticised those
indulging in cheap presentations on television and said
television was a powerful medium of communication and our
artists must understand the power of this medium and
project the healthy and encouraging values of life. He
admitted that television had posed a threat to the very
survival of the theatre.

Mr Sahni said if he got
an opportunity to run a television channel he would
select programmes, plays and serials highlighting
constructive values and aesthetic aspect of our culture.

The chief guest, Mr B.S.
Rattan, Income Tax Commissioner, said after Independence
the country had survived a number of calamities and
challenges and the country was still passing through a
period of crisis. He urged upon the artists and writers
to give right direction to society. In his presidential
remarks Dr R.M. Goel, pro-Vice-Chancellor said satellite
television had posed a threat to our culture.

Dr Gurcharan Singh, head
of the Department of Theatre and Television, welcomed the
guests and Dr Sunita Dhir introduced the main speaker. Dr
Navnindra Behl presented a vote of thanks.

PATIALA, Jan 31 
Bhisham Sahni, the 85-year-old writer of Tamas fame, is
still full of life. He says he writes because it is the
effort that counts and not the result. He still enjoys an
occasional drink, which he justifies by saying, "Je
koi pelaye te pi laine han."

Talking to TNS during
his visit to Punjabi university to deliver a lecture, he
says alcohol does not go with his writing. Speaking about
his writing, he says it has become a habit. He describes
his latest novel "Neelu, Neelam, Nilofor" as a
contemporary love story. Talking about a lifetime of
writing, he says it is a crown of thorns. Pursuit of
writing leaves the family dissatisfied, he says.

He has taught at Delhi
University and his wife has worked with All India radio.
Asked about his future ambitions, he says, "At my
age you cannot have high ambitions. I cannot have the
enthusiasm I had earlier."

Sahni is aware of recent
developments and talks strongly of need for tolerance
when asked about his reaction to the ransacking of the
set of the film Water at Varanasi. He says the work done
by Deepa Mehta should be welcomed as it is reformatory.
He adds that Hindu society is being reformed since the
time of Swami Dayanand.

The veteran writer also
feels strongly about the kind of programmes being dished
out by foreign channels. He says as the culture and
traditions of the country are totally different from the
West, foreign channels should restrain themselves and
show programmes which do not flout the country's
traditional values. He advocates effective use of
television to spread art and culture.

Speaking about art
films, he says these are not dead and are only facing a
difficult time. He says difficulties being faced in
making films which express reality and are aesthetically
satisfying can be circumvented to revive this medium.

Sahni laments that
theatre is facing a rough time. He says this is because
theatre has become a very costly proposition and is very
difficult to stage but has limited appeal. He says nukkad
plays are also facing problems due to this.

Asked if he feels any
other work has measured up to Tamas, he says a novel
Basanti was serialised in nine episodes during early days
of television. It was not noticed much and still has mass
appeal, he claims.

PATIALA, Jan 31 
Bereft of funds, the Government Medical College and
Rajindra Hospital here has turned to its alumni to give
both institutions a facelift as well as provide a
multicrore State of the Art Emergency Care Department.

The Government Medical
College Alumni Association has already proved itself to
be an organisation which works during the short two-year
period since its inception. In its first action after it
was formed , the Alumni Association contributed to the
development and running of an intercom facility for the
Medical College and Hospital by spending nearly Rs 4
lakh. The facility is functioning till date.

The initial success has
led to the association fixing high targets for itself and
meeting them. The association has raised Rs 8 lakh to
upgrade the auditorium of the college which was
constructed in 1954 and is literally falling apart.
Association Chairman Ravinder Singh said the position of
the auditorium was such that even its stage curtains were
not washed since 1954 for fear that they would fall
apart.

Dr Ravinder Singh said
the association would upgrade the auditorium by redoing
all seats, providing sound proofing and insulation,
besides a modern sound system. He said the Medical
College on its part would request the government to allow
it to rent out the auditorium after its upgradation so
that it could generate funds for its maintenance itself.
The auditorium was a showcase model for the International
Alumni Association meeting being held in the college in
December this year .

The doctor said in the
international conference of the association the case for
providing a state of the Art Emergency Care Department
would be put up before old students. He said talks in
this regard had been held with alumni members abroad with
many willing to finance the project. He said the
Emergency Care Department would be built at a cost of Rs
4 to 5 crore, and would be in addition to the existing
emergency facilities. He said equipment being used in the
USA for emergency services would be installed in the new
department. The alumni in California had agreed to
finance a renal dialysis unit for the hospital.

Dr Ravinder Singh said
the Alumni Association had decided that it would only
commit money for building infrastructure or starting or
reviving a service. The association would not get
involved in buying medicines for the hospital or other
activity which was the responsibility of the government.

He said the association
had already hosted two reunions of the 1967 and the 1974
batches and more were on the cards. He said the
association had obtained journals and audio cassettes for
the college library, subscribed to international journals
for the college besides giving scholarships to deserving
students. The association was also pursuing for
improvement of all the six lecture theatres of the
college and hospital. A modern projection facility and
sound system was being installed in all the lecture
theatres.

Attempts were also being
made to motivate alumni of the college in the city and
India to come forward to match funds coming from abroad
so that it could become a mass movement.

LUDHIANA, Jan 31 
The three-day national convention of women being
organised by the Punjab Istri Sabha and the district unit
of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) began
here today.

Hundreds of women
activists from all over the country are participating in
this convention. The convention began with the delegates
organising a rally at the Clock Tower Chowk. Later, the
procession moved towards the Kailash Chowk. The delegates
were carrying placards and banners carrying messages for
end to violence against women, banning of female
foeticide and infanticide, equal wages for equal work
etc.

Later during the
convention, various speakers highlighted the problems
being faced by the women for their independence,
self-determination and economic and social justice.

Dr L S Chawla, former
Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health
Sciences, while speaking on the occasion, observed that
the male-female ratio in Punjab was 735 females per 1000
males which was perhaps the lowest in the country because
of rampant female foeticide and negligence of girl child.

Mrs Amarjit Kaur,
General Secretary of NFIW, said the main purpose of the
convention was to chalk-out an action plan for a campaign
for giving suggestions on how women can contribute
towards eradication of poverty.

She said women activists
in each state would collect the suggestions which would
be handed over to UN representatives in India to be
forwarded to the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr Kofi
Annan, on Anti-Poverty Day on October 17, 2000.

Among others who spoke
on the occasion were Mrs Manjit Sodhia, former Principal,
GCW, Mrs Vimla Dang, Dr Puspinder Kaur, Mrs Geeta
Mukherjee, Member of Parliament Mrs Jasbir Kaur and Mrs
Dina Pathak, President of the NFIW.

Earlier, while
addressing the rally, Mrs Pathak said that women were
considered as a mere commodity  a fact proved by
the vulgar display of women in the print and electronic
media.

Mrs Geeta Mukherjee,
lambasted the present government and other political
parties, who were out to scuttle the women reservation
Bill in one way or the other.

Though Ludhiana does not
have a specifically earmarked red light area, there are
rows and rows of houses and hutments in a few of these
areas, where more than one persons from each house are
involved in the trade.

In the Simlapuri area,
this correspondent was accosted by a pimp. He said that
all these women were below 20. They either worked as
dancers with orchestras or as flower girls in weddings.

The pimp said generally
a person brings his own friends and friends of
friends as customers. The girls are paid Rs 200 per
customer for an hours job, Rs 500 per customer if
she has to meet outside her house and Rs 2000 for a night
out. My commission is also fixed according to the money
paid to the girls, he said.

Interestingly, the pimp
revealed that  he often sought the help of the
police, when a customer beat up his girls or did not pay
up the agreed amount. Often in case of trouble with
certain customer, we inform the police if that customer
comes again. When he has taken one of the girls, we
reveal their destination to the police, who conduct the
raid and arrest the person. But this course is resorted
to when the police promises to let our girls off the
hook, he disclosed.

However, the police
denies any such arrangement with such persons
and says that it has instead been making all out efforts
to curb the menace of prostitution, says the SSP,
Mr Kuldeep Singh. We have been engaged in bringing
to book all such anti-social elements and at least four
flesh trade rackets have been busted in the past two
months and several persons have been booked under the
law.

The police has claimed
to have busted a flesh trade racket on January 29 and
arrested seven persons, including two women from the
Partap Singhwala locality.

Meanwhile, a synthesiser
player of an orchestra, with its offices at Haibowal said
when people came for making bookings for marriages, they
some times asked them to arrange for a few sex workers
for their guests and they were forced to oblige.

A visit to Dhakka Colony
near Dugri revealed that most women residing in the slum
areas here were working as sex workers. One woman said
that her husband had encouraged her to adopt this
profession so that she could provide money to buy
his daily quota of liquor.

She also informed that
most of the sex workers from the locality took their
customers to a few hotels near the General Bus Stand. The
customer books the room before we walk in and after the
job is done we come out alone. The customer, leaves
us as and when it suits him, she says.
Interestingly, she also alleged that a hotel near the bus
stand owned by a senior leader of the ruling party, was
chosen more often, as the risk of police raid there was
little.

FEROZEPORE, Jan 31
 Intensifying their stir, thousands of villagers,
including women, blocked traffic for three hours outside
the Deputy Commissioners office on the Jhoke Road
in the cantonment area here today in protest against a
proposal to auction the Irrigation Department land in
about 20 villages along the Indo-Pak border near here.

A heavy police force was
deployed to control the situation. The agitated villagers
raised slogans against the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr
Parkash Singh Badal and his Cabinet. They also raised
anti-Sekhon Slogans. Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon
is the Minister for Irrigation Punjab.

Addressing the agitated
villagers, the secretary of the state unit of the CPI, Dr
Joginder Dayal, alleged that the Badal government was
following anti-farmer policies. As a result
of these wrong policies farmers in the state were
committing suicide, he alleged. He further said that one
acre of land was under debt of over Rs 10,000, in Punjab.

Giving a challenge to
the government, Dr Dayal said the affected villagers
would not hesitate to go to any extent if the land, which
they had been cultivating since Independence, was
auctioned.

The CPI leader alleged
that a land mafia was operating in the state at the
instance of certain Akali ministers and bureaucrats.
That land mafia wishes to possess the agricultural
land near the Indo-Pak border here, he further
alleged. He urged upon the government to allocate the
land to the respective cultivators on the pattern of the
land allocation in the Mand area to cultivators a few
years ago.

The PPCC Secretary and a
former minister, Punjab, Mr Hans Raj Josson, said the
government was the guardian of the people. But, the
Badal-led government wanted to dislodge the villagers
instead of protecting their rights. If the ongoing
process was not stopped, the government could even
auction land owned by panchayats and municipal councils,
he apprehended.

Speaking on the
occasion, Dr Mohan Singh Phallisnwala Convener, BSP,
Punjab, and a former MP, announced his partys full
support to the agitating villagers, who had been staging
dharna here since January 28. He said that the land near
the border here belonged to the provincial government and
the Irrigation Department had no right to auction it.

Mr Balbir Singh Kamboj,
president, Boli Roko Sangharsh Committee,
disclosed that under the first phase, 299 acres of land
in five border villages was to be auctioned by the
Irrigation Department on February 1, 9 a.m. He appealed
to the villagers to reach at the site of auction in a
protest march to get it cancelled.

Among others who spoke
on the occasion were: Comrade Sewa Singh Purba, district
secretary, AITUC and Mr Lal Singh Sulhani, a former state
vice-president of the BSP.

The dharna by nearly 200
villagers is still going on outside the DCs office.

HOSHIARPUR: Honest,
sincere and joint efforts by politicians, government
employees and public can do miracles and make an
impossible task possible. This has proved true in Naru
Nangal village, where a neglected dispensary has become a
model for others with the joint efforts of the doctor in
charge, village residents and the local MLA.

Dr Ajay Bagga, who is in
charge of the dispensary and joined it in January 1998,
did commendable work with the cooperation of the
residents and Mr Tikshan Sud, the MLA, who is Minister of
State for Excise & Taxation not only renovated the
dilapidated dispensary building but also got a 2-km long
approach road built and provided it with almost all
required medicines etc and specialised health services.

Naru Nangal, 19 km from
Hoshiarpur city, located in the foothills is known as the
kandi area of this district. The dispensary was set up
before Independence to provide health facilities not only
to residents of this village but also to people of the
surrounding villages. The land and the building was
donated. This building remained neglected and became
dilapidated with the passage of time without any repair
by the department concerned.

There is no basic civic
amenity including electricity, water supply etc there. It
is worth mentioning here that a majority of the
population of village and its surrounding villages belong
to the weaker sections of society. The people were
ignorant even about the existence of the dispensary.

Mr Babu Ram, an old
freedom fighter, told this correspondent that before the
posting of Dr Bagga no one from the Health Department had
visited this dispensary. After taking over charge, Dr
Bagga managed to bring Hoshiarpurs Civil Surgeon to
the dispensary to provide the basic needs to patients.
But the authorities failed to do any remarkable thing in
this regard.

Later Dr Bagga succeeded
in getting the people involved in the renovation of the
dispensary. The building was renovated and electricity
provided. Dr Bagga also persuaded Mr Sud, local MLA, to
make the approach road to the dispensary pucca. Mr Sud
after becoming minister laid the foundation stone of the
road and got construction work started. Mr Sud also
assured his full cooperation for the noble cause in
future also.

Dr Bagga also got an
ophthalmic assistant to visit the dispensary once a week.
Refraction of eye is being done at the dispensary.

This dispensary is the
only rural one in the district, where most essential
medicines are being provided to patients regularly. Dr
Bagga collects samples from private medical practitioners
of Hoshiarpur and distributes them among poor and needy
patients coming to the dispensary.

Mr Lal Singh, Nambardar
of the village, stated that Dr Bagga also helped in
providing special health facilities, not available in the
nearby government health institutions to needy patients
from private medical practitioners at reduced rates.
Residents of the area said that either a multipurpose
health worker (female) or a trained dai should be posted
in the dispensary to look after female patients of the
area.

Dr Bagga told The
Tribune that there was a dire need to hold mass camps to
detect tuberculosis patients. He said a majority of
patients visiting the dispensary complain of cough, cold
etc. He said a case of AIDS had also been reported in the
dispensary recently.

Mrs Ram Asri, Sarpanch
of the village, said it would not be out of place to
mention that poor and needy patients who are unable to
get specialised medical treatment from government health
institutions were being helped.

Mr Dev Raj, Panch, and
inhabitants of the village appreciated Dr Baggas
services. They said if all the doctors follow Dr
Baggas example then every poor and needy patient of
rural areas could get better health services without
government aid.

JALANDHAR, Jan 31
In a ghastly act, Raju, a migrant farm labourer of
Bihar, was done to death with sharp-edged weapons by some
assailants who attacked a farmhouse near Jandu Singha
village on the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road early this
morning.

According to the police,
the assailants struck the farmhouse around 5 a.m. and
injured Raju with sharp-edged weapons on his head.

The father of the girl
was working as a labourer in Sonal Patti Shadaur road in
Barnala subdivision of the district.

On June 24, 1999, Veer
Singh in connivance with his accomplice Sham Singh
abducted the girl and took her to Galocnia village in
Ganganagar district.

A complaint was
registered with the Barnala police and following some
clues, the police conducted raids and recovered the girl.

Both the accused have
been arrested.

The girl, in a statement
before a judicial magistrate, said that both Veer Singh
and Sham Singh raped her after abduction and she was
seven months pregnant now. The girl, after medical
examination, was handed over to her parents.

BARNALA, Jan 31 
Meeras (not real name) two near relatives,
including one maternal uncle, have been arrested for
raping her for seven months.

Meera, 14 was abducted
by her maternal uncle Sham Singh and his brother-in-law
Veer Singh on June 24, 1999, from this city.

The local police, after
raiding various sites in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan
found Meera on January 23, 2000, from Balochia village of
Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan.

Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP,
told TNS that the Sham Singh was working with Girdhari
Lal, of father Meera at poultry farm. He also stayed with
him. After some time, Veer Singh, brother-in-law, of Sham
Singh worked for them as a domestic help and stayed with
them.

Veer Singh developed a
relationship with Meera.

On June 24, 1999, Veer
Singh and Sham Singh abducted the girl and took her to
UP. An FIR was registered in this regard in the police
station, Kotwali, on the complaint of Mr Girdhari Lal.

Meera was produced
before the Judicial Magistrate in her statement she has
alleged that she was raped by Veer Singh and Sham Singh.

The accused Sham is
married and father of two children while Veer Singh, 44,
was father of five children. The medical examination of
the girl was also done.

He said that a case
under Section 376 and 34 of the IPC had been registered
against the accused who belonged to the Uttar Pradesh.

CHANDIGARH,
Jan 31  Final touches are being given by
authorities concerned to introduce computer education as
optional subject from the next academic session in
government middle and high schools in Punjab.

Syllabus of
the subject from Class-VI to Class-X has been finalised
by the Punjab School Education Department authorities in
collaboration with the Punjab School Education Board.

As private
companies will be hired to impart training in computer
education, tenders have been floated for this purpose.
Reputed computer companies have been shortlisted for this
purpose. Schools concerned will provide only space for
running the computer classes and the rest of the job will
be done by private companies.

Mr R.S.
Sandhu, Secretary, School Education, told TNS today that
he was hopeful that computer education as subject would
be introduced from the next academic session at least in
a "substantial" number of schools. There are
about 2,500 middle schools and 1,000 high schools having
lakhs of students.

A team from
the Central visited here today and held discussion with
the school education authorities. The officials wanted to
provide central assistance for various schemes pertaining
to elementary education under one umbrella. About 85 per
cent financial assistance is provided for various schemes
as operation black board, mid-day meal, toilets for girl
students by the Centre and 15 per cent contribution is
made by the state government.

Mr Sandhu
said he had directed the District Education Officers to
involve school students in the "grow tree
mission" launched by the Punjab Government. The
Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had
directed the Punjab Forest Department authorities for
launching such a drive and to involve the students. Mr
Sandhu said some sort of incentive was being worked out
which would be given to students involved in the
"grow tree mission". Students may be given
marks for their involvement in the mission.

CHANDIGARH, Jan 31
 In two different raids conducted by the Punjab
Excise and Taxation Department, documents relating to
suppressed sales amounting to Rs 3.8 crore and Rs 1
crore, respectively, have been seized.

Disclosing this today, a
spokesman of the government said both cases were detected
on the basis of specific information provided by
informers.

Thereafter, a party,
headed by Mr Saravjit Singh, Additional Excise and
Taxation Commissioner, Mr S.S. Bangar, ETO, and Mr Parmod
Kumar, Inspector raided the premises of an iron strips
manufacturer in Gobindgarh. The ledger and other papers
containing information about the unaccounted sales to
various dealers were seized. Preliminary investigation
had indicated that sales worth more than Rs 3.8 crore
were not shown in the account books.

The spokesman pointed
out that in another case a ledger showing unaccounted
sales was found from a hidden place in the premises of
another dealer. It contained a record of unaccounted
sales worth more than Rs 1 crore.

He further said a few
more major cases had been detected under the
reward scheme of the department.
These were being processed, he added.

A special plan for
"re-generation" of the Punjab agricultural
economy was proposed at a cost of Rs 33.44 crore. It will
include strengthening of agricultural extension,
integrated cereal development programme, accelerated
maize development programmes under technology mission on
maize; setting up/strengthening of seed testing labs;
sustainable development of sugarcane; setting up of
biocontrol labs; intensive cotton development programmes;
project for pulses and oil-seeds development; development
of horticulture and sericulture and improvement of the
quality of grapes of Perlette variety with the
introduction of improved management techniques, according
to a press statement.

Stress was laid on the
multi-end package scheme for the production of quality
raw-silk. It was decided to provide for the establishment
of a remote sensing application centre in Punjab, besides
introducing new farm machinery like paddy trans planters
and wheat-straw reapers.

The Punjab
Agro-Industries Corporation will receive the support and
financial assistance from the government for setting up
agriculture/horticulture processing units. A proposal to
vigorously pursue the schemes for cool chain
infrastructure-with 50 per cent assistance from NABARD
was also mooted. A marketing infrastructure for
bee-keeping in the state will also form part of the
re-generation scheme.

The emphasis was upon
the need to have a quantum jump-in agricultural
productivity, besides, launching a massive
diversification programme for long-term interests of the
Punjab farmers.